Loader attachment for trucks



June 19.55 H. "r. CUTLER OADER ATTACHMENT FOR TRUCKS Filed July 21. 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 r w m m m T a u N 0 M v T 1 v w @w e wn b 4 w Hv Y B .33 I 9 t n mm 1 .8 o m Q mu. wn

June 1955 H. T. CUTLER LOADER ATTACHMENT; FOR TRUCKS Filed July 21, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 r m R m m u m 0 W r. 1 8 mm M 1m 8 m g H w w E k Q mm. .& mm fi E w\ & E v.0 8 K NM %W June 1955 H. T. CUTLER LOADER ATTACHMENT FOR TRUCKS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 21," 1952 Herbert T. Outlet INVENTOR.

United States Patent 2,711,256 LOADER ATTACHMENT FOR TRUCKS Herbert T. Cutler, Mount Vernon, Ohio Application m 21, 1952, Serial No. 300,034 5 Claims. 01. 214-78) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in truck loading apparatus, and the primary object of the present invention is to provide an attachment for hydraulic dump trucks, semi-trailers, lime spreading trucks and the like that will permit loading and unloading with a minimum number of moving parts.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a loading attachment for trucks and'the like that will avoid the necessity of utilizing various types of loading equipment such as conveyors, shovels, draglines, clams, hi-lifts, back hoes, and even manual labor.

Yet another feature of the present invention is to provide a loader attachment that may be quickly and readily applied to or removed from a truck by merely moving the truck relative to the attachment which is supported upon the ground.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a loader attachment for trucks, semi-trailers and the like that may be utilized to clean and straighten creek and river channels, clean and straighten new irrigation ditches, clean and build small lake and farm ponds, cut through snow drifts, maintain city streets clean of snow and ice by loading and. hauling it from the streets, and which attachment is also capable of loading and spreading cinders and sand, loading leaves, garbage and sediment from city sewers, catch basins, and the like.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a loader attachment involving a vertically swingable scoop supporting frame, together with means for releasing a closure over the scoop when the arms are .5

raised in order to permit material in the scoop to be discharged into the bed of a truck.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a loader attachment of the aforementioned character wherein the scoop supporting frame is connected to a driven shaft operatively connected to the power take off shaft of a truck and wherein the supporting shaft for the scoop arms supports cable drums for attachment to draglines or the like.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a loader attachment that is extremely simple and practical in construction, strong and reliable in use, efiicient and durable in operation, inexpensive to'manufacture, service and maintain, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary perspective view of a truck and showing the present invention mounted therein and disposed in its lowered position for scooping material;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the attachment raised and material being discharged from the scoop;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of Figure 1 view taken substantially Patented June 21, 1955 and with parts broken away for the convenience of extaken substantially on the plane of section line 66 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is anenlarged fragmentary view of one. of the frame arms to showthe manner in which the same may be engaged with the supporting shaft for the attachment;

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional-view taken substantially on the plane of section line 88 of Figure 3;

Figure 9 is an elevational view of drums used in the present invention;

Figure 10 is an end view of Figure 9;

Figure 11 is an-enlarged detail horizontal sectional on the plane of section line one I of the cable 1111 of Figure 1; and I Figure 12 is a view similar toFigure 11 but showing the frame arms released from the cable drums.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein, for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral '10 represents a pair of L-shaped frame arms or members each of which includes alplate-like shorter leg Hand a substantially rectangular longer leg 14. The legs 12 and 14 are fixedly secured together by rivets, welding or the upper portion of the closure 22 the like to form the L-shaped frame arms.

The legs-14 extend'forwardly from the legs 12 and are fixedly attached to the side walls 16 of a scoop 18 having a forward open portion'whose lower wall supports forwardly extending teeth 25. The forward edges 26 of the side walls 16 are'downwardly and forwardly convexed to support attheir upper portions a concavoconvexed closure 22 that partially closes the open portion of the scoop and, more particularly, the upper part of the open front of the scoop.

A horizontal hinge ,pin 24 connects the lower portion of the closure-22-to the side walls16 and is fixed to or forms an integral part of a weight 26 whose function will later be more fully described. Lugs 28 are fixed to and project outwardly from the side walls 16.

The lower ends of a pair of latch-arms 30 are pivoted to the legs 14-and/or the side walls of the scoop for vertical swinging movement.- Guides 32 fixed to the side wall 16 guide and limit the swinging movement of the latch-arms 30. The upper ends of the latch-arms 30 terminate in rearwardly facing hooks 34 that are urged rearwardly into engagement springs 36 terminally secured to the latch-arms, 30 and the, legs 14, p v

The forward ends of the latch-arm releasing bars 38 are pivoted to the outer faces of the legs 14 behind the pivots for the latch arms. Guides 40. secured to the legs14 slidably receive the bars 38 and limit pivotal movement of the bars 38. The forward ends of the bars 38 are provided with circumferentially spaced teeth 42 with the, lugs 28 by cell shaft S extending rearwardly from a transmission Tr. The operating lever L of the transmissoin is located within the cab of the truck. A horizontally disposed transverse shaft 46 is supported in suitable bearings 47 on the truck frame F and supports a worm gear 48 that meshes with a worm 50 on shaft S so that the shafts S and 46 may rotate as a unit.

Cable drums 52 are slidably keyed on the ends of the shaft 46. The drums 52 are longitudinally split, as at 54, and their flanges are formed with openings 56 that intersect the slits 54. The openings 56 receive bolts 58 whose threaded ends are threaded into the inner threaded ends of the openings to partially close the slits in order to retain the drums on the ends of the shaft 46.

Bearing plates 60 having central hubs 62 are fitted over central sleeves 64 projecting outwardly from the outer flanges 66 of the drums 52,. The plates 60 are provided with circumferentially spacedapertures 68 that register with threaded recesses 70 in the flanges 66.

The upper rearwardly inclined ends of the legs 12 are formed with slots 72 and circumferentially spaced apertures '74. The slots 72 will accommodate the hubs 62 and the apertures 74 will register with the apertures 68 and the recesses 76, whereby bolts 76 may secure the arms 10, plates 60 and drums 52 together; Washers 78 are secured against the outer faces of the legs 12 by bolts 89 that are threaded insockets 82 at the outer ends of the shaft 46.

When the drums 52 are employed with draglines 84, i the arms 10 will be raised and the bolts 76 removed from the arms 10, plates 69 and drums 52, whereby the drums will rotate with the shaft 46 without moving the arms 10, which would effect wear on the drum and/or the 7 arms 10. However, when the arms'10 are to be raised or lowered, the bolts 76 are used to secure the arms 10, plates 60 and the drums 52 together.

Blocks 86 are fixed to frame F and slidably support horizontally movable rods 88 whose forward ends fixedly carry contact plates 90. Coil'springs 92 about the rods 88 are biased between the blocks 86 and the plates 90 to yieldingly urge the rods 88 forwardly until stops 94 at the rear ends of the rods engage the blocks. The legs 12 of the framearms '10 will engage the plates 90 as the arms 10 are lowered to cushion downward swinging movement of the arms 10.

Abutment bars 96 are fixed to the forward wall of the dump bed B of the truck T and extend forwardly over the cab C. The bars 96 are provided with outwardly projecting shouldered portions or fingers 98 disposed in the path of the bars 38.

In practical use of the present invention, it being as- 'sumed that the legs 12 are secured to the drums 52 by the fasteners 76 as shown in Figure 11, the truck is moved forwardly with the arms 10 and scoop 18 lowered so that material will pass into the open front of the 1 the lever L isrnanipulated to cause.

scoop 18. Then, rotation of shaft 46 and raising of the arms 10. As the arms 10 are raised, the shouldered portions 98 will engage the bars 38 to impart swinging motion to the bars 38 relative to the arms 10 and cause swinging movement to be imparted to the latch arms 30 so that the latter will release the lugs 28 and permit the closure to swing to its open position as shown in Figure 2.

As the arms 10 are lowered from the position shown in Figure 2, the weight '26 will urge the closure 22 to its closed position and the lugs 28 will again be engaged with the hooks 34, it beingunderstood that the hooks 34 are provided with cam surfaces against which the lugs 23 will ride.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. in a truck including a driven shaft and a dump bed, a loader attachment comprising a pair of spaced parallel vertically swinging frame arms disposed at opposite sides of the truck and extending forwardly of the truck, said arms having upwardly offset rear end portions, means operatively connecting said shaft to the rear end portions of said arms for'selective raising or lowering of the arms, a scoop secured to and extending between the forward ends of the arms, said scoop having a forward portion with an opening therein, a swingable closure adapted to cover the upper part of the opening, I

bed, whereupon the closure may swing to its open position to permit material in the scoop to be discharged therefrom into'the bed, and compressible spring cushionj ing means supported on the truck below the rear end portions of said arms engageable with the rear end por-- tions of said arms during lowering of the latter to cushion downward swinging movement of the arms.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said cushioning means includesa pair of rigid blocks, a horizontally slidable bar carried by each block and movable forwardly and rearwardly relative to the truck, contact plates secured to the forward ends of said bars, and coil springs embracing the bars and biased between the plates and the blocks to yieldingly urge the bars forwardly. 3. A loader attachmentfor trucks and the front including an upper portion, a vertically swingable closure having a lower end pivoted to the scoop, said closure covering the upper portion of the open front, said scoop having spaced side walls, lugs on the upper end of the closure projecting outwardly from the side walls, a pair of latch arms having lower ends pivoted to the side walls of the scoop and upper rearwardly facing hook ends engaging the lugs to hold the closure in closed position, spring means engaging the latch arms 'and urging the same rearwardly into engagement with the lugs, said latch arms having circumferentially spaced teeth about their pivots, a pair of latch-releasing bars pivoted to the frame arms'and having circumferentially spaced teeth about their pivots meshing with the teeth of the latch arms, and means mountable on the bed of the truck for engaging the'latch-releasing bars to actuate the same to a position for moving the latch arms out of engagement with the lugs.

4. A loader attachment supported by the frame arms, said front including an upper portion, closure havinga lower end pivoted'to the scoop, said closure covering the upper portion of the open front, said scoop having spaced side walls, lugs on the upper endof the closure projecting outwardly from the side walls, a pair of latch arrns having lower ends engaging the lugs. v to hold the closure in its closed position, spring. means. I engaging the latch arms to yieldingly retain the samelugs, a pair of swingable latch-arm forward ends pivoted to the frame engaged with the arms and including circumferentially spaced teeth, said latch-arms having circumferentially spaced teeth at'their lower ends meshing with the teeth of said releasing bars,

tive to the frame arms and thereby swinging the latch arms to release the lugs, and a weight attached to the lower end of the closure to urge the closure to its closed the lugs engaged with the hooks as the arms 7 are lowered after materialin the scoop has beendis position and charged.

5. In a truck includinga driven'shaft and a dump bed, 1 a loader attachment comprising a pair of spaced parallel disposed at opposite sides vertically swinging frame arms like comprisv ing a pair of vertically swingable frame arms, a scoop j, supported by the frame arms, said scoop having an open for trucks and the like comprising a pair of vertically swingable frame arms, a scoop scoop having an open a vertically swingable I means mountable on the bed of a truck forengaging and :f imparting swinging movement to the releasing bars relaof the truck and extending forwardly of the truck, means operatively connecting said shaft to said arms for selective raising or lowering of the arms, a scoop secured to and extending between the forward ends of the arms, said scoop having a forward portion with an opening therein, a swingable closure adapted to cover the upper part of the opening, latch means carried by the scoop engaging the closure to releasably retain the closure in its closed position, means carried by the arms engaging the latch means to release the latter, and means supported on the bed of the truck for engaging and actuating said latch releasing means when the arms are raised to position the scoop over the bed, whereupon the closure may swing to its open position to permit material in the scoop to be discharged therefrom into the bed, said means operatively connecting said driven shaft to said arms including a horizontal shaft rotatably supporting said arms, and a pair of cable drums fixedly mounted on said horizontal shaft and adapted to be operatively connected to draglines, and means removably fixing said said drums.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Ward Feb. 12, 1918 Sills June 7, 1921 Nilson June 12, 1923 Lambert Dec. 27, 1932 Shippee June 15, 1943 Wagner et al Aug. 24, 1943 Smith Oct. 23, 1945 La Pointe Sept. 17, 1946 Graves et al Dec. 21, 1948 Kendall July 19, 1949 Ingram Oct. 11, 1949 Thomas Feb, 21, 1950 Crosby Oct. 16, 1951 

